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(No Model.)

B. M. JOHNSON.

BRIDLE BIT.

No. 470,051. Patented Mar. 1, 1892.

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* UNrrEo STATES PATENT ()rrrcn.

BERNT M. JOHNSON, OF RACINE, IVISCONSIN, ASSIGNOR TO HIMSELF, FRED- ERICK \V. BOUCE, AND GEORGE GORTON, OF SAME PLACE.

BRIDLE-BIT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 470,051, dated March 1, 1892.

Application filed July 18, 1891.

To all whom it may conccrnr Be it known that I, BERNT M. JOHNSON, of Racine, in the county of Racine and State of tVisconsin, have invented a new and useful.

Improvementin Bridle-Bits, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description. Thisinventionrelatestobridle-bitsandtheir cheek or end ring attachments and means for connection of the reins with the bit; and it consists in a novel construction of the same in which not only the cheek-rings are pivoted to the bit-bar, which is a single one, but said rings, that may be used to produce pressure when required on the sides of the lower jaw of the animal at option of the driver, have also pivoted to them independent rein-pieces to control the action of the rings and bit generally, substantially as hereinafter described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a top or plan view of a bridle-bit embodying my invention; Fig. 2, an end view of the same, and Fig. 3 is a view showing the bit as connected with the headstall and reins and as applied to the head and mouth of a horse.

A indicates the bit-bar, made in one piece or length, and B B the cheek-rings, pivoted,

as at b, at or near their centers, but preferably a little in advance of their centers, to the 5 ends of the bar, so as to permit of their being thrown inward against the checks or sides of the lower jaw of the animal when required. Pivoted or hinged to each of these rings on the front portion of their rims, as at c, is an independent metal rein-piece C, which may be in the form of a loop for connection of the end of the rein with its back orfree end.

These hinged rein-pieces are made sufficiently long to extend across or beyond the pivots b 0f the rings, and preferably so that they reach Wholly across said rings when shut down against or on the latter. Said pivoted rein-pieces, as well as the rings with their attached pivots b 0, may all be of cast metal and of any desired plain or ornamental pattern and be readily and cheaply applied to Serial No. 399,907. (No model.)

the bit-bar; but I do not restrict myself to any particular mode of manufacture or fastening of the bit-bar and its pivoted attachments of cheek-rings and rein-pieces.

By this construction of the bridle-bit it is only necessary when the animal being ridden or driven is not a vicious one or one requiring a hard check to close the pivoted or hinged rein-pieces 0 down against the outer faces of the pivoted rings B, as shown by full lines in the drawings and more clearly represented by full lines in Fig. 1, when the ends of the reins may be applied to unite the free ends e of the loop or rein-pieces C with the inner portion of the rim of the rings B, so that in pulling on the reins the pull will be a direct one or substantially at right angles to the bit-bar, which will prevent the cheek-rings from pressing on the sides of the lower jaw of 7c the animal to check it, and the hinged reinpieces 0 will present no objectionable protrusion from the faces of the cheek-rings, but, as viewed from either end, the bit will present a neat, compact, and fiat appearance. In case, 7 5 however, of a vicious or horse hard to check, then the ends of the reins will be attached exclusively to the back or free ends 6 of the pivoted rein-pieces O, in which case in pulling on the reins the pivoted rein-pieces 0 will be drawn outward at their free ends and the inner portion of the rim of the rings B will be forced inward to press against either or both sides of the lower jaw of the animal, as shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1, and this in a most effective yet easy or free manner by reason of the pieces to which the reins are attached being made independently movablethat is, pivoted, hinged, or jointed to the laterallytilting cheek rings or pieces ahead of the bit or in front of the bit-barand having an in dependent lateral movement on said rings.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is 5 1. In a bridle-bit, the combination, with the bit-bar, of laterally-tilting check pieces or rings on the ends of said bar and independent laterally-movable rein-pieces pivotally connected with the forward portions of said rings I00 and controlling the latter, substantially as specified.

2. The combination, with the bit-bar A, of the laterally-tilting check pieces or rings 13, pivoted on the ends of said bar, and the independent laterally-movable rein pieces or loops 0, pivoted on the forward portions of said rings and constructed to close down or inward against or toward the outer faces of said rings in close proximity at their free ends to the inner marginal portions or rims of the rings and to open outward. therefrom, essentially as 10 shown and described, and for the purposes herein set forth.

BERNT M. J OIINSON. Witnesses:

JNo. W. KNIGHT, A. L. ANDERSON. 

